Henry Neville and Francis Knollys: Berkshire Muster Letter, 1605
Source Identification
- Senders: Sir Henry Neville and Sir Francis Knollys.
- Recipient: the Council.
- Date and place: Reading,
30 October 1605. - Subject: defects in the trained bands of Berkshire and promised amendment.
- Shelfmark: Cecil Papers
112/145. - Calendar: Calendar of the Cecil Papers in Hatfield House, vol. 17, printed p. 470.
The signatures and dateline are controlled against the primary image, while the printed Cecil Papers calendar independently identifies the senders, place, date, subject, and shelfmark.
The calendar entry reads:
“Sir Henry Neville and Sir Francis Knollys to the Council.”
“Giving an account of the defects in the trained bands of the county of Berkshire, and promising a speedy amendment thereof.—Reading, 30 Oct. 1605.”
Source: BHO, October 1605, 16–31.
Image-Controlled Anchors
The manuscript image visibly supports:
“trained Bandes as well of Horse as Foote, wthin this County of Berks”
“great defects, both in the men and Armor, but especially a great want of Armor”
The signatures are:
Henry Nevill Fra: Knollys
The dateline reads:
Reading this xxxth of October 1605
What the Document Establishes
- Neville and Francis Knollys jointly reported on a Berkshire trained-band muster.
- The review covered horse and foot.
- They reported defects in personnel and armour, especially a shortage of armour.
- This is direct evidence of county administrative cooperation between Neville and Knollys.
Research Program
- Produce a complete line-collated diplomatic transcription from the primary image.
- Identify the Privy Council instructions that ordered the view and muster.
- Search later correspondence for the promised supply of armour and follow-up certificate.
- Place the collaboration in the documented Neville–Knollys Berkshire relationship.